Ground Zero

A Classic 1st Edition Greyhawk Campaign

The Walking Devastation

tarrasque

16

DEC/12

Ground Zero disembarked from the Cruise Ship at the Word Serpent’s Inn. Mace and Hammer show up to pick up the stasis-ed Guardmen. Doc asks where the rest are. The rest of the senior guard are in Geoff cleaning up after a massacre.

Aldebaran tries to contact people in the Duchy of Geoff and can’t reach them. When he scrys the area, he sees a 100 mile long, 50 yard wide swath of destruction. Some of the dead are Silver Guards.

We walk through a World Serpent’s Inn door to the front door of Aldebarna’s castle. The servants say that the Walking Devastation has taken out four cities already. Maxximus thinks Aramaths’s signal comes from the origin point of the destruction.

Doc calls Ground Zero. The High Guard has been taken out. The Guards’ Stars have all been destroyed except for Aramath’s and Aramath is not responding.

Beyodar uses the Eye of Thera to look at the orgin. There was an explosion. From underground in the Crystalmist Mountains, a bull with huge shark teeth and three tails (mail, hammer, saw) emerges. As he moves, he gets faster and does more damage.

We head to the origina point, flying Air Shui. At the entrance, we see remains of two female Guardsman, Spear and Shield. Inside the tunnel, we see bits of red robed Suelese, who potentially might be members of the Scarlet Brotherhood.

Tarl uses the Chime of Teleportation. It resonates with the 500th level of the Abyss and Summons 6 shadow demons. We destroy them with wands of illumination and a Sunray.

Deeper in the mountain, the tunnel opens into a huge cavern. We find a summoning dais, with bodies wearing Silver Guard Armor. Anatoli tries a flour bomb, and something briefly shows up. Jet tries a psionic ping and finds 12 demons. Beyodar’s area of effect Greek fire makes them visible and we slaughter them.

Using the Eye of Thera again, we find that Aramath was Sunk below the altar. We move the iron hexagram on top of the altar, using Maxximus’s cold obsidian weapons. Dispel Magic brings Aramath to the surface. He goes back to Caer LaForce.

We use the Eye of Thera for a third time in conjunction with Tongues. We learn that the priest offered the souls of the Horned Society hierarchs. Those souls are stored in Molag. If those souls are released, then the demons will regain their preeminence in the Horned Society.

We visit Zarya of Rel Astra and Lo Rel Tarma, to learn more about the characteristics of the creature summoned. She tells us it gets stronger every time it dies, and we need a wish to keep it dead once we kill it. She also thinks that we need to summoning ring to send it away.

We go back to the cave to pick up the summoning ring and see new tracks of sandalled feet going in. Anatoli Alters Reality to collapse the cave on the monks – who are red robed Scarlett Brotherhood, based on our scrying — and bring the summoning ring to us. The death of the monks summons a demon, but we kill it in one round.

We set up a killing ground in front of the Walking Devastation. Aldebaran uses a limited Wish to get the Guardsmen Stars from inside the Walking Devastation. Three Soul Gems have already been corroded off the Stars by the gastric acid. Note: Jet uses Pristine to stop additional corrosion from taking place.

Anatoli uses Bungee Skin and puts on the Aboleth diving suit. Beyodar cast “Take the Hit” to share hit points with Anatoli. and puts Protection from Acid on the suit. Anatoli jumps in the Walking Devastation’s mouth hoping to collect the 3 missing soul gems from the stomach.

We engage the Walking Devastation in combat. Eventually we figure out that each spell only works once. After 4 rounds it dies.

12 piglets emerge from under the Walking Devastation’s shell. We chase them down and kill them too.

Anatoli emerges from the mother’s anus with the thee soul gems. Jet talks all 12 stars and gems to Doc.